Coal has no role as energy fix
Published:Saturday | February 18, 2012 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Jamaica is experiencing an energy crisis. Our energy costs exceed a US$1 billon a year, which is unsustainable. The country simply cannot afford it.
Therefore, conservation should be the start of any energy solution. This could be achieved by improving mass transit, including the trains, less use of unlicensed taxis, smaller automobiles, fewer or no SUVs, and by replacing the current fleet of buses gradually with hybrid electric ones.
However, I have to concur with the article written by Delroy Warmington titled 'Say no to coal', which was published in your newspaper on February 14. It was indeed a terrific article - which was quite articulate, informative and well laid out.
Of all the energy alternatives that are available, I find nuclear and coal to be the least desirable. Nuclear, although clean, is rather expensive to build and maintain, along with its inherent danger.
The recent arguments promoting coal as a cheaper and better alternative that came out of the recent Gleaner Editors' Forum on energy are not very convincing. As Mr Warmington pointed out in his column, even the World Bank came out against the use of coal. Coal, like oil and gas, is regarded as fossil fuel. When burned, it emits carbon monoxide into the atmosphere, which turns into greenhouse gas, thereby causing global warming.
We all are aware of the health issues involved. And like the writer rightly says, there's no such thing as 'clean coal'. Besides, coal has to be imported on a continuous basis; a coal-fire plant has to be built, and the waste-disposal issues have to be taken care of.
keep eyes on renewables
The better alternative is renewable energy - solar, in particular, and natural gas. The United States has an abundant supply of natural gas which, at the moment, is quite inexpensive - but just like coal, we have no control over its future pricing. Solar energy, although its initial cost can be a little high, has a ceaseless source of power.
And while the technology keeps improving, its price keeps coming down. It is clean, green energy that can last up to 30 or 40 years, depending on the type of system installed.
I think the Government because of its huge energy bill, and progressive companies such as GraceKennedy, should take the initiative on this. The Riverton landfill is already polluting our atmosphere - the last thing we need is a coal-burning plant to exacerbate the problem.
NOEL MITCHELL
Westchester, New York